People from all over the Tri-State will be prepared to brave the crowds in search of Black Friday discounts.

“We have folks coming in from western Kentucky, southern Illinois, southwest Indiana, and we are really the only mall of our type in a two-hour driving distance in any direction,” says Eastland Mall director of marketing Sean Ferguson.

Retailers have been busy before the holiday season started.

“It’s a task. I mean a lot of folks start the first part of November and even some sooner than that,” says Ferguson.

Once Black Friday hits, it’s all hands on deck.

“It’s such an up hill push to get to that point and once it hits everybody is ready to go. It’s sales all the way through to Christmas eve,” says Ferguson.

Crowds are expected to ramp up Thursday night and throughout the weekend.

“There are serious shoppers,” says Ferguson.

“They will come in; they’ll shop, they’ll carry the bags out, they’ll come in again and shop some more and we see that really all weekend long.”

And some buyers have a plan for their Black Friday spending.

“I have like a specific amount of stores I am going to go to so I am probably going to go to Victoria Secret… Somewhere that has a scarf. I don’t really know where that is,” says shopper Mason Taylor.

Others are trying to avoid the crowds, but take advantage of the deals.

“Probably tomorrow night when things are going to start getting crazy here,” says shopper Elisabeth Kershaw.

“Hopefully I can get my winter wardrobe in for Christmas time and then get everything done for springtime, and then vacation season will come around so I am getting those deals,” says Kershaw.

“I’m definitely looking for the deals,” says shopper Tristin Keepers.

“I am not made of money so I’ll be trying to look for stuff that I like best and that will cost the least.”

Eastland mall is open for Black Friday shoppers starting at 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. Friday.